66-535. Tenant rights; sale or abandonment by railroad, procedure. (a) If a railroad unreasonably refuses to renew a lease, whether or not the tenant is required to remove its improvements pursuant to the terms of the lease, or if a railroad terminates a lease pursuant to subsection (c)(3) of K.S.A. 66-533 and amendments thereto, the tenant under the lease shall not be ejected from the railroad land, unless and until the tenant is fully compensated by the railroad for the tenant's improvements.

(b) In the event any railroad land is sold, any lease shall be assigned to the purchaser as part of the transaction, and the purchaser shall succeed to the rights and obligations of the railroad under the lease and the provisions of this act.

(c) In the event any railroad land is abandoned by a railroad, any person establishing a superior right or title to such railroad land shall be deemed to be a successor in interest to the railroad for purposes of this act and shall succeed to the rights and obligations of the railroad under the lease and the provisions of this act. The tenant shall not be dispossessed by any such person unless and until the tenant is fully compensated by such person for the tenant's improvements, except that such person shall have the right to set off any obligation then due to such person from the tenant under the lease.

(d) Any dispute as to the amount of full compensation or as to a railroad's unreasonable refusal to renew a lease, shall be resolved in the manner provided in K.S.A. 66-534 and amendments thereto.

History: L. 1998, ch. 158, § 5; July 1.